Gearing up for Success! Essential gear & equipment for new karting enthusiasts!

One of the most common questions we get asked is, “What do we need to get started?” Well get your notepad, checkbook, and get ready because we are going to race down a crash course of everything you’ll need to hit the kart track for your first time! Diving into the thrilling universe of karting is a heart-pounding adventure. As a novice driver entering this high-octane realm, it's crucial to gear up with the right tools, equipment, and safety gear to ensure a smooth and successful journey on the racetrack.

In this comprehensive guide, we'll delve into the must-have gear and equipment for all those new to the world of karting. From the essential safety equipment that safeguards you on the course to the performance-boosting gadgets that can give you a competitive edge, we've got you covered. So, tighten your seatbelt, and let's explore the essential gear that will not only keep you safe but also help you zoom ahead on your path to becoming a karting pro. Whether you're taking your first lap or preparing for the next championship race, this guide will equip you with all the knowledge you need to make a roaring start in the world of karting.

1. Essential Safety Gear

Helmet: It’s your most important piece of gear, take care of your head! Outside of the kart itself, your helmet may be one of the larger investments made when jumping into the karting pool. Like many things in life, with helmets you get what you pay for. That said, you can spend $400 and buy a nice helmet or you can spend $2,000 and get a really nice helmet. Both are good. Both are safe. In some cases, the more expensive helmets are safer, but NOT ALWAYS. However, in general, this is not the place to skimp out. Our advice is simple. Buy the highest quality, best fitting product you can afford to invest in. Having raced for over 30 years, we can confidently recommend helmets from Bell, Simpson, and Arai. Any helmet you purchase will need to be “SNELL 2020” rated. This is much different that motorcycle helmets that have “DOT” rating or a “SNELL M2020” rating, which are not motorsports certified. It is important to have a correctly sized helmet and we recommend finding the closest local supplier to fit you. If this is not available, follow your chosen manufacturers sizing guide and take multiple measurements. Helmets should fit snugly, and most people generally feel uncomfortable the first time trying on a properly fitted helmet. Different people have different shaped heads. Some people have “oval” shaped heads whereas others have “round” shaped heads. Some OEMs such as Arai offer multiple styles to suit, so it can be important to try on different helmets if one does not fit properly.

Racing Suit: Next to your helmet, the suit is literally the one thing between you and the ground in the event of an accident. Like helmets, a properly fitted suit is important so that it provides both the necessary protection and at the same time, is comfortable in the kart and does not cause unnecessary distractions. Many knock off brands with low quality have made their way online and we suggest sticking to a reputable vendor with a quality brand such as Alpinestars, OMP, or Sparco. Other factors to consider include the type of material, thickness, lining and or padding among other items. In addition, you may want to consider a suit that is both CIK/FIA certified.

Gloves and Shoes: Ensuring proper grip and comfort during races is important. Your hands and your feet (along with your rump) are keys to understanding what is happening to the go kart on the racetrack. Gloves should fit snugly and offer a solid grip on the wheel. Additional protection along the knuckles may be important to you. Shoes, such as wrestling shoes or racing specific shoes with thin soles are suggested. This allows the driver to have a soft pedal and better “feel” of the pressures when applying forces to the brake or throttle pedals. At minimum, we suggest leather gloves and high-top shoes to get you out on track.

Rib Protector: Understanding the significance of rib protection in karting is an important lesson. Due to the cornering forces and G loads in karting combined with a direct connection to the driver, a proper seat and rib vest are critical for long term success. Rib injuries are extremely painful and take long periods of time to heal. R3 and our customers have had tremendous success with the Bengio Rib Protectors although other quality products exist. As with all safety equipment, fit is important, and the rib vest should not pinch or push into your side with any pressure points.

Neck Brace: Likely the most controversial safety item in the sport of karting. If you ask 10 people about their thoughts on a neck brace, you are likely to get 10 different answers. This is because there is no standard in karting regarding the safety of this item. The CIK/FIA have conducted their own testing and could not conclusively come to terms with neck braces helping prevent neck injuries in karting crashes. It Europe and most of the rest of the world, neck braces are not required. Soft “foam” braces are virtually useless. Some new products such as the Valhalla 360 and Alpinestars Youth Neck Support / BNS Tech-2 look promising. What are the rules of your track and organization? Ultimately, it’s a decision you will need to make based on the age of the driver and the requirements of the organization you plan to race with.

Others: The options provided for karting safety equipment are endless. Seat padding, head socks, rain gear, under suit layering and on and on. We encourage you to choose items based on your needs. Get the basics to get yourself going and making laps, someone will be around to help you as you begin to tailor your kart and kit on the road to becoming a champion.

 2. Understanding Kart Components

The KART: Your budget and goals will likely determine the path of a new or used go kart. This isn’t the guide for that, but rather some items to be aware of in either situation. Bearings, tie rods, brake pads, throttle cables, chains, sprockets, fuel line, fuel filters, spark plugs, ignition wires, air filters. All of these are items to check and go over if you have purchased a used kart. Other items such as axles, steering shafts, spindles, and tie rods should be verified as straight and true. The frame or “kart” itself should be checked and verified that it is not bent. The axle should spin freely, and the steering wheel should easily rotate without binding. If you are new to the sport, it’s easy to be overwhelmed by something that on the surface appears to be “a deal” vs something that will turn into “a money pit”.

The Seat: A properly fitting seat will be one of the keys to your success on the track. The seat should be positioned in the kart without binding, in a position in line with the manufacturer's suggested measurements along with driver comfort. This can be a difficult balance to achieve and depending on the size of the driver, professional help may be needed to ensure the seat is mounted correctly. The seat should fit tight with your suit and rib vest in place. Many different seat options are available. Local suppliers can help guide you while offering multiple styles and sizes to try out.

Tires: Choosing the right tires for optimal grip and handling on the track yet another important item to consider. Check the rules with the track, club, or organization you plan to race with. If they are running a “spec” or “club” tire, that is the tire you will want to start practicing on. Air pressure should be set to your kart suppliers spec or within the range of the OE’s suggestions. Air pressure should be re-set before every session on track. If you have an “open tire” situation, our advice is to run laps on whatever tires your kart came with, assuming they are in good shape and not cracking, dry rotted or corded.

3. Performance Enhancing Accessories

Steering Wheel: With options unlimited, optimal designs for precision handling and control can be overwhelming. We suggest a suede leather wheel with spokes in a position that allows for natural hand placement. All things being even, a more comfortable driver will always beat a driver that has a nagging ergonomic issue with their go kart.

Data Acquisition System: Understanding your data and its role in analyzing and improving performance will be a key driver of your race program. In our opinion, the more you learn and utilize this tool, the more successful you will be. R3SpeedFab works with the AIM and MyChron platform and we encourage their products with customer support being second to none. This is simply one of the fastest ways to improve both the performance of your go kart and also your driving. Learning the system and software can be overwhelming, however many video options are available online to help accelerate your curve.

Spare parts: While not performance enhancing, a good spare package can help save your race or practice day. Many parts on go karts and race cars are what we call, consumable, meaning, they wear out over time. Some items require replacement on a more frequent basis. As a general rule, the following are items R3 suggests having on hand to make your new venture as successful as possible.

1 - Chain – A new spare chain is an essential part you will want to keep on hand.

2 – Spark Plug – Spark Plugs can often go bad or become worn under the intense loads that kart racing demands. It’s a good idea to regularly check the condition and tightness of both the spark plug itself as well as the cap of the plug.

3 – Sprockets – In general, you will likely require a range of sizes for both engine sprockets and axle sprockets. These are combinations are what will provide you with the accurate gear ratio needed to best optimize your engines on track performance.

4 – Throttle Cable – Flimsy and thin, throttle cables are weak and take constant abuse. A spare cable can help keep you on track in the event of a frayed cable letting loose on race day.

5 – Fuel line and fuel filter – Most fuel line hardens after time, eventually leading to splitting. Filters are easily clogged with poor gasoline, debris, or oil, amongst other things.

6 – Air Filter – A free flowing clean filter free of debris is critical to engine performance. Air filters are also known to vibrate loose and come off on track.

7 – Batteries – Do any components on your kart, or your tools, require batteries? If so, you will want to keep spares of whatever the associated batteries are!

8 – Hardware – Nuts and bolts! Spare hardware, such as wheel nuts and the most common hardware on your go kart (IE M8 metric nuts) are a low-cost items and extremely common to need replacement. Your chassis supplier can guide you on what to look for, but in general it’s a good idea to have a range of sizes and lengths to keep your operation running and safe!

8 - Wheels and tires – While expensive, a second set of wheels and tires are a great investment. This provides a backup in the event of an on-track event or general failure.

9 – Bumper clips – As you will find out, front bumper clips are used often and quite frequently either are not latched properly or fail on track as a result of contact.

10 – Other – Bumpers, tie rods, kingpin bolts/spindle bolts, spindles, steering shafts, and axles are all good parts to have on hand in the event of an accident. These are all higher dollar amount items, with their needs being more tied to racing and your desire to stay relevant while competing for a points championship. Keep in mind, in racing, accidents can and will happen. Being prepared will elevate your above your competition.

1 – Bead breaker / Tire tool – Allows the use of changing tires

2 – Chain Breaker – Needed for adjusting chain length or installing/removing old chains

3 – Tire pressure gauge – One piece of equipment you MUST have.

4 – Fuel jug and hose/funnel – You will need a way to transport fuel safely to the track

5 – Kart Stand – Absolutely vital to moving and working on your go kart

6 – Metric Mechanic Tool Set – Sockets with 3/8 drive, combination wrenches, drive sockets and allen hex keys. We suggest both T-handle allens and socket allens as they are common in karting.

7 – Hammers both plastic dead blow and metal ball peen

8 - Screw drivers both flat blade and Phillips

9 – Quality tape measure

10 – Variety of pliers – Wire cutters, needle nose, vise grip, snap ring, utility pliers are just a start.

11 – Zip ties – Variety of lengths and widths

12 – Electric drill & bits and electric impact wrench

13 – Spark plug wrench – Another must have tool in your box

14 – Chain lube

15 – Portable table – In general, you’ll likely need a space to work on something during your time at the racetrack

16 – Air tank or air compressor – Being able to regulate your air pressure at the track is of utmost importance. Tanks and compressors both offer advantages, it’s up to you to decide which way to go.

17 – Specialty Tools/Other. The list of tools is endless. Other recommended suggestions are files, a hack saw, safety wire and safety wire pliers, chisels/punches are just a few. Some karts require specific tools, your dealer or chassis supplier should guide you in these areas. Outside of those tools, a “Sniper” or other laser alignment system is very handy to both regularly check and maintain your karts settings, along with assisting required changes and your skills advance. Spindle spacers, sprocket aligners and more.

18 - Cleaning Supplies: Importance of regular cleaning for optimal performance. In general, we like blue shop towels, red rags, or white painters’ towels. Simple green, WD-40, brake clean, carb clean, scotch brite pads and Tri-Flow are all suggested to have on hand.

Conclusion

If you are new to the sport of karting, things can seem overwhelming. Hopefully this short guide is helpful and provides you with a path on which to move forward into the sport. Starting off with good equipment is vital to a positive experience and on-track success. Local dealers are suppliers are a tremendous asset as they can help you personally walk down these first steps. We encourage friends and customers to invest in the highest quality safety equipment they can afford. The biggest decision you can make is committing, so get out there, start turning some laps and we'll see you on the podium soon!